Most affordable counties to rent in Missouri

Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Caldwell County is the most affordable at 16.9%; Ripley County the least affordable at 40.0%.

CountyRent-to-incomeMedian gross rentMedian renter incomeRenters paying 30%+2 BR FMR FY2027
1. Caldwell County16.9%$640$45,48621%$1,546
2. Maries County17.9%$590$39,55131%$962
3. Ste. Genevieve County19.3%$780$48,38227%$974
4. Osage County20.1%$639$38,14438%$962
5. Monroe County20.7%$689$39,92931%$962
6. Moniteau County20.8%$735$42,39633%$963
7. Cole County21.5%$834$46,55335%$962
8. Livingston County21.8%$768$42,32333%$962
9. Douglas County22.0%$700$38,20341%$962
10. Webster County22.2%$789$42,57833%$1,113
11. Crawford County22.3%$795$42,79139%$962
12. DeKalb County22.9%$817$42,88627%$1,101
13. Cooper County23.2%$782$40,36937%$962
14. Lincoln County23.3%$961$49,59037%$1,349
15. Stoddard County23.3%$760$39,21130%$962
16. Harrison County23.4%$703$36,11047%$962
17. Vernon County23.4%$734$37,66335%$994
18. Lewis County23.5%$644$32,93833%$962
19. Franklin County23.5%$893$45,67240%$1,349
20. Pulaski County23.5%$1,112$56,67534%$1,175
21. Macon County23.7%$672$34,02445%$1,018
22. Lafayette County23.7%$928$46,98540%$1,546
23. Callaway County23.7%$887$44,88837%$1,123
24. Andrew County24.0%$961$48,11739%$1,101
25. Howard County24.4%$832$40,99442%$990
26. Gentry County24.4%$636$31,22632%$962
27. Saline County24.5%$739$36,25050%$962
28. St. Clair County24.5%$622$30,48744%$962
29. Newton County24.5%$817$40,01438%$1,153
30. Platte County24.6%$1,334$64,95142%$1,546
31. Camden County24.9%$876$42,26040%$1,033
32. Christian County25.0%$1,058$50,81041%$1,113
33. McDonald County25.0%$767$36,75236%$962
34. Jefferson County25.2%$979$46,66939%$1,349
35. Ray County25.2%$782$37,19442%$1,546
36. Clinton County25.6%$1,008$47,19234%$1,546
37. Stone County25.8%$896$41,68144%$1,032
38. Warren County26.0%$995$45,88541%$1,349
39. Wright County26.1%$625$28,78444%$962
40. Marion County26.1%$808$37,16941%$1,060
41. Bates County26.1%$786$36,09451%$1,098
42. St. Francois County26.1%$794$36,44140%$988
43. Johnson County26.2%$932$42,69341%$1,033
44. Laclede County26.3%$809$36,93240%$998
45. Dunklin County26.6%$648$29,25539%$962
46. Barry County26.8%$766$34,32243%$962
47. Taney County26.8%$926$41,48945%$1,126
48. Miller County26.9%$763$34,02630%$973
49. Pike County27.0%$778$34,54235%$1,025
50. Dent County27.0%$660$29,30241%$998
51. Carroll County27.1%$822$36,43935%$962
52. Madison County27.1%$808$35,73741%$1,063
53. Lawrence County27.2%$800$35,34144%$976
54. Texas County27.2%$665$29,33443%$962
55. New Madrid County27.2%$729$32,13843%$962
56. Iron County27.3%$664$29,20846%$962
57. Gasconade County27.3%$743$32,67442%$962
58. St. Charles County27.4%$1,370$60,10442%$1,349
59. Cass County27.9%$1,205$51,90846%$1,546
60. Cape Girardeau County28.0%$881$37,78246%$1,012
61. Pettis County28.2%$885$37,69743%$1,068
62. Clay County28.5%$1,243$52,32745%$1,546
63. Greene County28.5%$989$41,57846%$1,113
64. Audrain County28.7%$693$29,02148%$962
65. Scott County28.7%$873$36,47744%$1,027
66. Randolph County28.8%$760$31,64846%$962
67. Adair County28.9%$772$32,06340%$962
68. Oregon County29.0%$639$26,45859%$962
69. Howell County29.0%$733$30,29245%$962
70. Nodaway County29.3%$786$32,24245%$991
71. St. Louis County29.4%$1,209$49,42248%$1,349
72. St. Louis city29.4%$997$40,75246%$1,349
73. Perry County29.4%$923$37,64556%$1,045
74. Grundy County29.6%$696$28,22735%$962
75. Henry County30.1%$768$30,65353%$962
76. Buchanan County30.7%$902$35,27150%$1,101
77. Boone County30.9%$1,088$42,25449%$1,076
78. Butler County31.0%$780$30,15950%$962
79. Jasper County31.1%$973$37,56150%$1,153
80. Cedar County31.5%$767$29,24546%$962
81. Jackson County31.9%$1,197$45,02151%$1,546
82. Phelps County32.2%$798$29,75650%$973
83. Pemiscot County35.2%$695$23,72657%$962
84. Morgan County36.1%$721$23,93443%$962
85. Ripley County40.0%$654$19,64364%$962

Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 31 of 116 counties are left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. FMR: HUD FY2027.

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